


Cold Front

by rainalin



Series: Cold Verse [4]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous Relationships, Jealousy, M/M, Morally Ambiguous Character, POV Sequel, Past Relationship(s), Spoilers: Bête Noire, Spoilers: Missing, Spoilers: Reveille
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2004-07-23
Updated: 2004-07-23
Packaged: 2017-11-20 11:44:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/585051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainalin/pseuds/rainalin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gibbs' view of the relationship between Ari and Tony.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cold Front

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: Um..? Not much - continue to keep in mind that any backstories are my own creation and are not meant to depict canon. 
> 
> NOTE1: Gibbs decided to come out and play. And then the others decided they wanted their moment in the limelight so this has become a series instead of just a trilogy. Enjoy. 
> 
> NOTE2: /…/ is for phone conversations. 
> 
> DISCLAIMER: The characters of NCIS belong to lots of people that are so not me. CBS and the guy that owns JAG also own these characters. I am just borrowing them. I promise to return them with little to no damage, so please look kindly upon my actions.

With a sense of satisfaction, Gibbs left Ari on the floor of the morgue and headed for the elevator. Stepping in, he watched emotionlessly as the doors shut him away from the…terrorist and he breathed out in relief. He knew that the FBI wasn't going to be happy at what he'd done but felt that he'd accomplished what he'd set out for - revenge. 

When the doors opened on the main floor, he was surprised to see not only Director Morrow but his team waiting for him. Walking towards them, he glanced over them quickly and frowned when he noticed one of them missing but was sidetracked by Morrow.

"What did you do, Agent Gibbs?"

Standing at attention, Gibbs flashed back to the sight of Ari falling and smiled grimly. 

"What had to be done, sir."

A heavy sigh came from Morrow and he shook his head. "Why do I even bother, Gibbs?"

"I don't know, sir." 

Slipping out of his professional attitude, Gibbs relaxed a little. "Probably just following the rules, Tom."

"If only you would too."

Without waiting for a reply, Morrow turned and headed for the conference room where the FBI waited. 

Gibbs waited until he was out of sight before turning to his team and frowning. "Where's DiNozzo?"

He watched as Kate and Abby glanced at each other while McGee just looked clueless. The only person that seemed to know anything was, predictably, Ducky and he looked worried. 

"We were under the impression that young Anthony was with you, Jethro."

Gibbs frowned at him curiously. "Why would you think that, Ducky?"

Before the question could be answered, the elevator doors opened once again and a familiar voice shouted in outrage. "I'm not property!"

Gibbs could only stare incomprehensively at the scene that met his sight. 

DiNozzo was blushing bright red and staring at his feet while Ari stood beside him. 

'He's too close.'

Uncomfortable, Gibbs glared at the man that had caused DiNozzo to blush. 

'He's mine!'

Before the thought truly registered, Gibbs noticed a flicker in Ari's expression and tensed. 

What happened next was something that no amount of training could have prepared him for - Ari reached over and grabbed DiNozzo's hand. 

Staring at the clasped hands, Gibbs realized with disbelief that they were familiar with each other…intimately familiar. Jealousy and rage threatened to choke him and he clenched his fists tightly to prevent himself from physically attacking Ari. 

Opening his mouth to speak, he was stopped when Ari smiled at them all politely and nodded at Ducky. 

"Please be sure to extend my deepest regrets to dear Gerald. I do hope that the physical therapy is working for him."

Glancing over at Ducky, Gibbs was treated to the truly rare sight of a speechless Ducky but, before he could enjoy the sight, he'd gathered himself together and had focused on the same image that was haunting Gibbs. 

Turning his attention back to the two men, Gibbs realized that Ari had noticed their attention and tensed once more when Ari smirked. His fists clenched even harder when Ari moved DiNozzo to stand before him and rested his chin on DiNozzo's shoulder. 

His self-control faltered and almost broke when Ari breathed into DiNozzo's ear and caused him to shiver. Letting lose a growl, he took a step forward only to be stopped by Kate's hand on his jacket. 

Gibbs struggled for control as he watched Ari lean forwards and bite DiNozzo's ear before whispering into it. 

Disbelief tempered the rage that was building inside him when DiNozzo shuddered and turned around in Ari's arms. He watched as Ari ran a proprietary hand down DiNozzo's back and leaned forward to bite at his lips. 

The shock that Gibbs felt in that moment was echoed in the gasps around him but he ignored their reactions in order to try and hear what Ari was saying. 

To his surprise, Ari's tone was gentle. Only the thought of DiNozzo's reaction kept him back as Ari kissed DiNozzo but he almost lost it when he heard him whimper. Another kiss was exchanged before Ari looked directly at him and smiled. 

"He is precious to me, Agent Gibbs. Treat him well."

His fist tightened at the order and he felt his skin part as his nails finally bit through. The blood slowly seeped through the small injuries as Ari turned back to DiNozzo and kissed him once again before stepping away. 

"I will see you again, my Antonio. Don't forget me."

This time, everyone heard the possessive tone in his voice. 

Gibbs watched as Ari walked away and wished that he could see the expression on DiNozzo's face. Because he was focused on DiNozzo, he caught the single step forward and knew that he was planning to run. 

'I don't think so.'

"DiNozzo."

He was pleased at the even tone he'd managed and waited to see what DiNozzo would do. When DiNozzo looked over his shoulder however, Gibbs struggled to mask the rage he was feeling but realized he had been unsuccessful when DiNozzo shuddered. 

"Yes, boss?"

Staring at DiNozzo, Gibbs waited a beat before asking the only question he really wanted answered. "Do you want to explain the last couple of minutes to us…Agent DiNozzo?"

As DiNozzo licked his lips, Gibbs flashed on an image of Ari kissing those lips and his expression hardened. 

"What part of it, boss?"

At the typically irresponsible answer, Gibbs felt his glare intensify.

'If looks could kill…DiNozzo.'

The situation might have continued downhill if Ducky hadn't decided to intercede. "Perhaps we might adjourn to another location, Jethro?"

Ducky's voice calmed him slightly and he listened as Ducky took control. 

"I suggest we rendezvous in Abigail's lab in say…twenty minutes? That should give us all a chance to calm down and behave like rational people."

Without waiting for an answer, Ducky walked past DiNozzo, followed closely by Abby and McGee. Gibbs watched with narrowed eyes as DiNozzo glanced over at Abby. Whatever he'd seen, DiNozzo relaxed slightly before turning and staring straight at Kate. 

Too involved in his own emotions to worry about Kate's reaction, Gibbs watched as DiNozzo noticeably cringed before lowering his eyes and standing silent while she passed by him. 

Knowing that his control wouldn't hold if he looked at DiNozzo, Gibbs clenched his fists once more as he walked past and headed for the elevator. 

Standing in the oppressive silence of the full elevator, Gibbs watched as the numbers counted down and finally stop at Abby's floor. Standing to the side, he motioned for Abby, Kate and McGee to get out first and then walked out with Ducky. 

"How are you feeling, Jethro?"

Gibbs looked over and smiled gingerly at the older man. "I was about to ask you the same, Ducky."

"Ah," Ducky just shook his head. "I was not the one most injured by the last visit of our…friend, Jethro."

Gibbs looked down at his hands for a moment before slowly raising and unclenching them. Staring down at the mess in his hands, he almost jumped when Ducky's hands reached over and grabbed his. 

"Jethro."

The quiet concern brought a genuine smile to his lips. 

"Don't worry about it, Ducky. Just…fix them up for me?"

"Of course, Jethro, of course."

Gibbs watched as his team moved around and tried to get comfortable while Ducky went into the inner office and grabbed the first-aid kit. When Ducky returned and began to work on his injuries, Gibbs focused his attention on Abby and watched as she motioned for McGee to sit in her chair and then sat on the startled agent's lap. A smile threatened to take the edge off his anger and he turned his attention towards Kate, who was staring at a painting on the wall. 

Clearing his throat, Gibbs watched worriedly as Kate jumped and turned to stare at him. 

"Grab the extra chair and put it in the middle of the room."

Wordlessly, Kate walked over and did as he instructed. Gibbs wondered whether he should deal with her now or wait. The decision was taken out of his hands when Ducky put away the unused bandages. 

Staring down at the white bandages circling his hands, Gibbs flashed on a memory of stark, white bandages circling a shoulder that he'd shot and he realized that DiNozzo had taken care of Ari. With a low growl, he began to pace impatiently. 

"You don't think he ran…do you?"

Kate's voice broke through his thoughts and Gibbs looked over and then stared through the glass doors. 

"No. I don't think he ran."

Kate frowned at him but Gibbs just watched as DiNozzo got off the elevator and paused. 

When DiNozzo finally walked through the doors, Gibbs noticed the backpack slung over his shoulder and frowned. 

'Why did he bring that?'

Deciding to wait for the questions, Gibbs nodded at the chair waiting alone in the middle of the room. Watching as DiNozzo sat down, Gibbs noticed a flicker of nameless emotion cross his face before DiNozzo looked over and watched Kate and Ducky get oriented. 

Knowing that DiNozzo hated silence, Gibbs continued to pace as he waited for the other man to break down. 

When DiNozzo sighed and leaned back in his chair, Gibbs felt a flicker of satisfaction - which was crushed in the next moment. 

"Hey, boss. Could we get started some time today? I wanna be home in time for my phone call."

Staring down at the nonchalant DiNozzo, Gibbs narrowed his eyes. 

'He can't possibly be telling me what I think he is…can he?'

Thankfully, Kate voiced the question that he didn't dare ask. 

"What phone call?"

Gibbs watched as DiNozzo slanted his eyes towards her before answering the question. "Ari promised to check up on me tonight."

In the silence that followed the comment, Gibbs watched as DiNozzo smiled slightly and he exploded. 

"Do you find this amusing, DiNozzo?"

'So help me god, DiNozzo, if you say yes.'

His anger made his senses extra sharp and he watched as DiNozzo gulped. 

"No, sir."

The fear in his hazel eyes promoted Gibbs to take a deep breath and he walked away from the frightened young man and leaned against Abby's desk. After a pause to gather his thoughts, he started the questioning. 

"What do you have to say for yourself, DiNozzo?"

DiNozzo frowned. "Boss?"

Getting comfortable on the desk, Gibbs frowned at the predictable response. 

"Why didn't you tell anyone that you knew who the terrorist was?"

DiNozzo shrugged. 

"Because I knew he wasn't a terrorist."

Gibbs stared at a fidgeting DiNozzo. 

'Why is he so sure?' 

"Why don't you explain that to us, DiNozzo."

More order than question, Gibbs watched as his suggestion caused DiNozzo to chew at his bottom lip. 

"I don't really know where to begin, boss."

Gibbs knew that he wasn't lying but didn't know how to help him without losing the very slim hold he had on his temper. Unexpected relief came from a predictable source. 

"I've learned that the truly important stories always have a beginning, Anthony. Why don't you start there?"

Nodding at Ducky, DiNozzo gazed off into space and began to speak. 

Gibbs listened, alternatively entranced and jealous, as DiNozzo shared the story of his journey of self-discovery and the foreign lover that had been with him for some of the journey. 

'Why did Ari have to be the reason my curiosity was satisfied?'

Watching DiNozzo carefully, he watched as the other man opened his eyes and shifted in his chair. Frowning at the reaction, Gibbs looked around and snorted at how intrigued the team was looking. 

"Umm, and then he showed up in the morgue and I knew that something major was happening."

Gibbs watched as DiNozzo looked up at him through his lashes and frowned. 

'I don't like that look.'

Tensing, Gibbs waited for the next part. 

"When he got away after shooting Gibbs and then you told us that he's shot Gerald too, I got worried. After I got home, I called up the CIA contact."

Gibbs watched DiNozzo chew his lip again and prepared himself. 

'I really don't like this.'

"I demanded to know what was going on until they finally gave in and filled me in on the long-term plan."

Gibbs stared at his agent incredulously even as the lid on his temper finally blew and he began to yell. Kate's voice soon joined his and the two of them struggled to be heard over the other until Kate broke through the din. 

"Wait a minute. If you knew what the plan was, does that mean that you knew exactly who Marta was before she showed up?"

Realizing that it was a good question, Gibbs settled down and waited for the answer. 

"Umm…yeah? Ari told me what my part in the deception was going to be."

The answer, predictably, involved Ari and Gibbs growled. 

"Do you mean to tell met that you've been in contact with Ari since he left this building the first time?"

Knowing, based on DiNozzo’s body language, that he wasn't going to like the answer did nothing to prepare him for the answer he got. 

"He contacted me after I got off the phone with the contact. We've kept in touch since, although I hadn't seen him face-to-face until tonight. He thought it would be safer if we didn't see each other beforehand."

Gibbs stared at DiNozzo in disbelief and then walked away from it all. Heading into the inner office, he ignored the mummer of voices and ran through the list of cases post-Ari. 

Belatedly, he realized that DiNozzo had been off his game since Ari's first appearance and groaned. 

"No wonder he's been out of it. I should've caught onto it the moment he approached the target during the stake-out. He wouldn't do that under normal circumstances."

Thinking back over the cases and DiNozzo's reactions and actions, Gibbs mentally hit his forehead and growled.

"I knew that DiNozzo was a good undercover cop, that's why I hired him. I can't believe I missed it."

Turning back to the outer office, Gibbs stared at his team without really seeing them. "How could I have missed seeing something so obvious?"

Clenching his hands, he winced as he remembered that he'd already injured them. Carefully unfurling them, he straightened his back and prepared to rejoin his team. Just as he looked up however, he saw Kate grab her purse. Curious, he watched as she removed something from her wallet before heading towards Abby.

"Betting against Abby, Kate. I thought you knew better."

The smile that crossed his face was erased by DiNozzo's shout. "You were betting on my sexuality?!"

Gibbs stared pensively at DiNozzo. "I'd forgotten about that."

Remembering the sight of Ari kissing DiNozzo, he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. 

"With a man like Ari as a lover, no wonder DiNozzo's never shown much interest in…men."

Watching as DiNozzo reacted strongly to something and began pacing, Gibbs walked back into the room when he'd turned towards the outer doors. 

He wasn't sure about the timing when he heard what DiNozzo was saying. 

"Ari was my first male lover. He's the only lover I've ever been friends with too and I care about him a lot."

Inexplicably saddened, Gibbs frowned and only realized that the quick-witted Abby had noticed when she asked her question. 

"If you had to chose between Ari and Gibbs…who would you chose?"

Reluctantly focused on the answer, Gibbs watched as DiNozzo's shoulders slumped. "Since Gibbs is not interested in men, especially me, there really is no choice to be made."

Gibbs stared skeptically at DiNozzo and watched as his presence caused DiNozzo to step backwards. 

"Shit."

The glare DiNozzo turned on Abby was fierce and, before he could gather his thoughts, DiNozzo had reached down, grabbed his backpack and taken another step backwards. 

"Umm…boss? I left my badge and gun upstairs so you won't have to ask for them. I'll be leaving now. Bye."

Gibbs blinked as he struggled to make sense of DiNozzo's quick words. 'Badge…gun? What the hell?!'

DiNozzo had already fled the room and boarded the elevator by the time he finally understood what had been said. 

"DiNozzo!"

Too late, the elevator had already swallowed DiNozzo and he was left to stare blankly at the closed doors. 

"Oh, dear."

At Ducky's words, Gibbs shook off the temporary paralysis and stared at the older man. 

"I think we should all calm down before we exasperate this situation."

Ducky's calm voice worked wonders and Gibbs found himself relaxing, until Kate spoke. 

"Exasperate how, Ducky? I really don't know how I feel about the situation or Tony…and I don't think that's going to change anytime soon."

Gibbs stared at her for a moment and then turned to the silent Abby and McGee. 

"What about you two?"

Abby smiled mischievously at Gibbs. "Tony is Tony. I don't have a problem with him or the situation. I mean, I kinda wish he coulda trusted me to help him with the secret but I understand why he didn't."

Turning his gaze towards McGee, he waited. For his part, McGee shifted in the chair where he sat, pinned down by Abby. "Um…I…."

Gibbs watched amused as McGee looked apprehensively between the two women staring at him. 

'Wonder how long he'll last.'

Almost as soon as the thought was formed, McGee folded. "I have no problems with Agent DiNozzo."

A proud smile lit Abby's face while Kate snorted inelegantly.

When Gibbs raised an eyebrow at her, she flushed but stood firm. 

"I need time to deal with this, Gibbs. You can't honestly tell me that it's easy for you to deal with Tony hiding pertinent information from you, especially considering how obsessed you got with finding Ari."

He had to concede that she had a point but wasn't about to let know. Deciding to head her off before it got too bad, he pinned her with a look. 

"Whatever problems I might have with this situation and Agent DiNozzo, I will be dealing with them. I expect you to do the same. Is that understood?"

Kate nodded her head grudgingly and left the room. Abby leaned into McGee and whispered something that made him blush before she jumped off his lap and waited for him to stand up. Gibbs watched as the two followed after Kate and headed for the elevator. 

As soon as the threesome got on the elevator and disappeared from view, Gibbs turned to the suspiciously silent Ducky and frowned. 

Although he had been shot by Ari, his wound had been negligible and had healed nicely. Gerald had required surgery and was still involved in intense physical therapy while Ducky had admitted to dealing with some severe guilt from the incident. 

Out of them all, he knew that Ducky, and Gerald, had the most reason to hate Ari and would probably have problems dealing with a free Ari as well as the new information about DiNozzo. 

That, more than anything, had Gibbs off-balance. 

"How're you feeling, Ducky?"

With a tired sigh, Ducky moved over to Abby's recently vacated chair and stared with bleak eyes at Gibbs. 

For the first time in a long while, Gibbs realized that Ducky wasn't getting any younger. 

'Just another thing to thank Ari for.'

Determined not to brood on that topic, he focused his attention on the still silent doctor and waited. 

His patience was rewarded when Ducky removed his glasses and began to speak. "I'm not sure, Jethro. There is a part of me that understands that the situation required secrecy and any petty feelings of revenge that I might have are irrelevant in the face of the importance of Ari's mission."

With another sigh, Ducky relaxed into the chair and fingered his glasses reflexively. "Unfortunately, there is also the part of myself that feels as Caitlin does…betrayed. Intellectually, I understand that Anthony had a duty to keep secrets from us. That does not make the reality of this situation any easier to deal with."

Releasing a deep breath, Ducky sat up and smiled sadly at Gibbs. "Never fear, Jethro, I will deal with these feelings. Come the new week, I will be fully capable of dealing with young Anthony…if he returns."

Gibbs frowned at the reminder that DiNozzo had, essentially, resigned. 

"What do you intend to do about the situation, Jethro?"

Running a hand through his hair, Gibbs stared at the clutter on Abby's desk. 

"I don't know, Ducky. Like you said, intellectually, I understand the position DiNozzo was placed in. On the other side of things, I expect total honesty from my team, especially in regards to ongoing investigations. I don't like that he kept something this important from me."

A small cough pulled his attention back to Ducky and he frowned.

"What?"

"How much of your reaction stems from your inability to recognize that Anthony was acting?"

Gibbs looked away from Ducky's penetrating gaze and faced the impersonal doors. Silence hung between them as he was forced to think about the question. Finally, he sighed. 

"I'm not sure. I hired him. I did a background check on him and I should know when he's acting and when he's being himself. And yet, I missed the ball. I'm not sure what that says about my neutrality regarding DiNozzo."

The creaking of the chair drew Gibbs' attention away from the doors and he focused on Ducky. 

"I need to talk with DiNozzo as a superior."

Ducky raised an eyebrow at his statement and pushed his glasses back onto his nose. 

"Are you sure you are capable of that, Jethro?"

Frowning, he looked at Ducky. 

"What do you mean?"

To his surprise, Ducky looked uncomfortable. 

"Are you that unaware of your feelings regarding Anthony?"

Gibbs blinked. "What feelings?"

Ducky sighed deeply and leaned back in his chair. 

"Perhaps you should sit down, Jethro."

Narrowing his eyes, Gibbs did as Ducky suggested and sat down in the same chair that DiNozzo had occupied earlier. Suddenly empathizing with how the other man must have felt, he reached into his jacket and pulled out his cell phone. Staring at it with distaste, he flipped it open and began to search for the number. 

"Who are you calling, Jethro."

Startled, he looked up and stared at the curious doctor. 

"DiNozzo."

"Ah."

Frowning at him, Gibbs pushed the button that would connect him with his errant team member. 

"What is that supposed to mean, Ducky? I just want to make sure that he's planning on sticking around. I haven't accepted his resignation."

An enigmatic smile graced Ducky's face and Gibbs' frown deepened. Just as he was getting ready to push him, the phone was answered. 

/ Hello, Agent Gibbs. /

Gibbs froze at the unexpected voice. 

Fortunately, Ari didn't have the same problem. 

/ I expect that you wish to speak with Antonio. However, I have a prior engagement with him so you'll have to wait. /

Broken out of his frozen state by the innuendo, Gibbs glared at the wall behind Ducky. "What kind of engagement do you have with my agent?"

The cool laugh caused Gibbs' hand to tighten around the phone. 

/ Agent Gibbs. I'll be gone in the morning. I suggest you wait until then to come and speak to Antonio. Until then, he is mine. /

Before he could react to the possessiveness, the phone was hung up and he was left listening to an impersonal dial tone.

Snapping the phone shut, he looked blankly at Ducky. 

"That was Ari. He and DiNozzo are…busy."

Ducky looked at him. "And how do you feel about that, Jethro?"

‘How do I feel about that? What does he think I feel about it? I'm not jumping up and down here.' Aware that his thoughts weren't charitable, Gibbs glared at his friend. "How do you think I feel?"

Ducky smiled grimly at his reaction. "I'm not sure, Jethro. How should you be feeling?"

Hearing the strange infliction to Ducky's question, Gibbs stared at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

With a sigh, Ducky folded his hands and peered at Gibbs over them. 

"Are you reacting to the thought of Anthony with Ari as an impartial superior…or as a jealous man?"

Stunned, Gibbs looked at Ducky. 

"I've watched you with people you're attracted to, Jethro. I nursed you through three ex-wives and a short fling with young Stanley. I know the signs. And you have been acting in a very suspicious manner towards young Anthony for quite some time."

Gibbs shook his head in mute denial but Ducky was relentless. 

"I've noticed your treatment of him during the last several cases, especially your reaction to the information that he had kissed the woman-formerly-known-as-Voss. Caitlin also told me about your reaction to his dalliance with the waitress during the Atlas case."

Leaning forward, Ducky pinned Gibbs with a stern look. "Tell me you reacted as a superior, Jethro. Tell me without lying."

Shaken, he could only stare at Ducky, who smiled kindly at him. 

"The first step towards dealing with any situation is acceptance, Jethro. I think that you need to understand your true feeling for Anthony before you attempt to speak with him."

Uncomfortable, Gibbs stood up and began pacing. "How do I go about understanding my feelings when I didn't even know how I was feeling until today?"

Removing his glasses once again, Ducky rubbed the bridge of his nose thoughtfully. "Perhaps you weren't aware of your feelings because you hadn't felt threatened."

Gibbs threw a glare at the older man. "DiNozzo has paraded an assorted number of lovers over the years I've known him. Why should I feel threatened this time?

Replacing his glasses, Ducky stared at the furious man in disbelief. "How many of those lovers were men?"

Gibbs stopped moving and stared at Ducky before dropping back into the chair. 

"Oh, god."

Ducky stood up and stopped in front of Gibbs. "I suggest you think about that in relation to your feelings, Jethro."

Patting him on the shoulder, Ducky headed for the doors. Just before he went out, he turned back for one last word of advice. 

"Do try and get some rest, Jethro. It wouldn't do for you to be too tired to deal with Anthony in the morning."

And Gibbs was left alone in the lab with only his thoughts for company.


End file.
